The Commonwealth Resounds! Connecting musical cultures since 2005

We promote music and musicians across the Commonwealth through collaborative events worldwide with a particular focus on young people and the developing world. Thousands of our musicians have been involved in our life-changing projects and gala performances including the opening of the Royal Commonwealth Society’s brand-new auditorium in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen, as part of Prince Charles's Official Dinner for the 53 Heads of Government in Sri Lanka and at the Official Launch of the Prince's Trust in Malta. Our musicians have also given regular appearances at the Commonwealth Observance Day services at Westminster Abbey and at Commonwealth Forums Opening and Closing Ceremonies in Uganda, Perth and Sri Lanka. In 2015 our Commonwealth Festival Choir and Orchestra gave a Concert for the President of Malta at Verdala Palace in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund. We have been proudly supported by the Royal Over Seas League, the International Federation of Musicians, the Musicians’ Union Phonographic Performance Ltd, The Royal Society of St George and numerous Rotary Clubs throughout the UK and overseas.

Latest News

Commonwealth Secretary General, Baroness Scotland, stopped and spoke to our young people with such warmth, friendliness and encouragement, and showed a genuine interest in them. THANK YOU, Secretary-General!

Today has seen a wonderful rehearsal at Westminster Abbey with The Commonwealth Resounds, featuring our Commonwealth Festival Choir and Orchestra. This is all in preparation for Monday’s Commonwealth Service. Our contribution to the day will include six beautiful songs, many written by school children, a superb ensemble of string players from The Purcell School and the Royal Academy of Music, plus some wonderful singing from the Apollo Youth Choir, the Peckham Harris Academy and many others.

Halfway through the rehearsal, Her Excellency The Right Honourable Baroness Scotland of Asthal, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth walked in! She spent a long time listening to the groups rehearse and chatted with many of the children involved. It was lovely to see her and we are very grateful for her kindness and generous donation of her time. She commented:

“They sing like angels”Baroness Scotland

The Service of Celebration for Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey takes place on Monday 13th March and will be broadcast on BBC One, BBC World Service and will be available later on the BBC iPlayer. Tune in from 2:45pm.

In October 2017 11 students from Chetham’s School of Music plus teachers and TCR co-Directors Nick and Sarah Oliver will be making a trip to Kampala. TCR last visited there in 2007, running an inspirational and creative programme at the time of the CHOGM and this visit will renew some contacts made then and build many new ones. We’re looking forward to collaborating with Kampala Music School, now a much expanded enterprise since our previous visit, and to outreach work with a range of schools, hospitals and other community and cultural organisations.

Our students, who include string, woodwind, brass and keyboard players as well as singers are all busy raising funds for the trip and we’ll keep updates coming as plans are finalised.

The Commonwealth Resounds is delighted to be organising a unique study tour for 7 aspiring young Nigerian musicians who are developing their orchestral skills to help them lead and run ensembles in their own country. This project will be run in partnership with MUSON, one of Nigeria’s most enterprising music conservatoires.

The Nigerian musicians will be taken to hear some of the UK’s top professional orchestras in rehearsal, and will meet professional musicians who will give them support and guidance. They will also have a chance to play side-by-side in some regional orchestras in Croydon, Hertfordshire and Manchester. They will visit the Purcell School and Chethams School of Music. The highlight of their tour will be to participate in high-profile events linked to Commonwealth Week 2017.

Everyone is looking forward to meeting the Nigerian musicians, and would like to give special thanks to our wonderful Patron Tunde Jegede, Artistic Director of Muson who is carefully preparing the musicians for this tour.